I’d like to tell you a story.
Not a story in the Alice and Wonderland sense of the word, but rather a cautionary tale: a few words of warning for anyone wanting to travel or live in Latin America.
It’s important to listen closely, as the advice contained in this story is counterintuitive to what most people think it takes to fit in and adapt to a foreign culture.
Let’s begin.
I can’t believe I haven’t done a post on nightlife: Mexico City .
Disgraceful.
For your information and for my own nostalgic pleasure, here is your comprehensive, insightful and, most importantly, entertaining guide to the bars and nightclubs of Mexico City!
Vance, back at it again. This time, to talk about expats in Mexico City.
Here are ten types of foreigners that you’ll meet in the Mexican capital.
No matter where I travel to in Latin America, my mind always drifts back to Mexico. It has become the benchmark from which I compare all other countries in the region.
I’ve reflected a great deal on why I’ve come to love this place so dearly.
Sure, part of it is nostalgic bias; after all, this was the country that kicked off my interest in Latin America, as well as the first foreign country I’ve ever lived in.
But after having talked to what must be hundreds of travellers, it seems that others share my love for this country…
There’s no denying that Mexico does not have the greatest reputation in regards to safety and security. But is Mexico as dangerous as it’s made out to be?
Times have changed. Latin America has changed. I’ve changed.
Cities in Central and South America have a tendency to go through ebbs and flows. A great city to live in today might not be a great one tomorrow.
Take Medellin for instance. In the early 2000s, this was the place to live in Latin America. If you were brave enough to venture down to recently drug-war torn Colombia, as one of the few foreigners, beautiful women would be throwing themselves at you as you enjoyed an incredibly low cost of living and year-round spring temperatures.
And then word got out.
It’s time to go head-to-head once again!
This time, we’ll compare Panama City and Mexico City and determine which is better for visiting or living. In many ways, these two capital cities are similar – they are both modern, they both have a large number of expats and they are both easily accessible from the USA, with a large number of cheap, daily flights from major American cities.
I’ll say right off the bat that both are solid choices for someone looking for an introduction to Latin America.
But there are some differences that you’ll want to consider before choosing either one of these destinations…
I’ve just finished living in Mexico City. Now I’m living in Lima.
As I’ve noted in a recent post, Lima isn’t quite living up to my expectations. I’ve decided to stick it out here for awhile. It’s not bad and I’m enjoying myself, but it’s not a place I see myself living semi-permanently.
As such, my mind has already been wandering. I’m thinking about my next destination.
Sometime within the next two years, I’d like to choose a city to spend the bulk of my time in.
Right now it looks like it’ll be Mexico or Colombia.
Bogota is a city that I’ve been thinking more about recently…
I’m FINALLY leaving.
And, as a sort of departure gift, I thought I’d write a post on living in Mexico City. If you are wondering what life is like in the capital, I’m here to help. Whether you’re moving here, or doing a short-term stay, here’s what you should know.
Whenever I’m in a new city in Latin America, there’s only one thing on my mind:
Is this somewhere I would like to live?
You see, I have a somewhat odd life plan at the moment. I want to do extended stays (3 months or more) in the region for at least the next few years.
This makes me a bit different than the average backpacker who can gather all the information he needs from Lonely Planet.
I’m forced to dig deeper.
So, without further ado, it’s time for another one of my Latin American city showdowns. In this post I will be comparing the “City of Palaces” (Mexico) with the “City of Kings” (Lima) to determine which is the better city for an expat to live in.